Beyond Hearing Aids: TTY
For many hearing impaired people, one of the most frustrating problems they face is the difficulty of communicating over the phone. Completing business transactions, staying in touch with relatives, getting help in an emergency, and many other parts of life can be much more difficult to manage without using telephones.
Fortunately, several different kinds of technology are available to address this problem. Some people find that using a hearing aid is sufficient to communicate on the phone, while other people rely on devices like teletypewriters, also known as TTY. To learn more about useful technology for the hard of hearing, call HearingPlanet at 1-800-432-7669.
What is TTY?
Teletypewriters go by several different names: TTY, TDD (for Telecommunication Devices for the Deaf), and text telephones. It may seem confusing, but all of these names refer to the same device. This is a small type pad, similar to a Blackberry, that can be attached to almost any phone.
TTY allow people with hearing difficulties to receive and send phone calls as text messages. This is facilitated by a Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS), which every state offers free of charge. You just need to dial 711 to get started.
Using TDD is simple for hearing people and the hearing impaired alike. You just contact a TRS, where a representative will be available at any time of day to relay your messages. The hard of hearing person can type messages, which the representative will read out loud to the hearing person. He or she can then respond, and the representative will type the reply into a message for the hearing impaired person.
In addition to this technology, many different kinds of assistance are available to the hearing impaired. Our hearing health consultants can provide further information about hearing aids, accessories, and other services that could help you.
Contact Us
Hearing loss does not need to stand between you and the activities you love. For assistance finding the right solution for you, contact a hearing aid specialist from HearingPlanet at 1-800-432-7669.
Questions? We're ready to answer.
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Dear Grant,
I just want to thank you again for the absolutely excellent level of support you have provided to me in my search for hearing aids. As you know, when I called, I really was only gathering information and had no intention on committing to purchase any time in the immediate future. However your friendly one-on-one support with my questions, concerns and possible issues quickly won me over to make you and HearingPlanet my first choice as a provider...
Best Regards,
B. Jones
Richardson, TX
